Rotary engine.



No. 678,495. Patented July [6, I901.

J. KEITH.

ROTARY ENGINE. (Application 51mm. 8, 1901.

(No Model.)

:m s A w h M N III M H/ w m N M w y 1. W W .l W N 0NW; N QM Ira wwUNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN KEITH, OF QOOKVILLE, TEXAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

EEEGIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,495, dated July 16, 1901. Application filed March 8, 1901. $erial No- 50,356. (No model.

provide a simple and efficient construction of engine including twoparallel series of pistonheads'and wherein steam will be supplied to theheads of each series alternately.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the engine and illustratingthe arrangement of the cut-off mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section throughthe valve-chamber or steamchest and showing the location of one of theabutments. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the rotatablepiston of the engine, a part thereof being broken away to more clearlyshow the structure thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the engine comprisesacylinder 5,havingasuitable base 6, and in the heads 7 and 8 of which are formed bearings 9and 10, in which is disposed the shaft 11 of the engine, provided at oneend with a band-wheel 12 or other suitable means for taking powertherefrom.

From the inner face of the shell of the cylinder and midwayof the endsthereof is formed an inwardly-directed annular flange 13, and the pistonof the engine comprises two outer disks 14 and 15, which lie at oppositesides of this flange and an intermediate disk 16, which lies in theplane of the flange, and fits snugly against the inner edge thereof. Thedisks 14 and 15 fit snugly between the flange 13 and the heads of thecylinder, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In the edge of each of thedisks 14 and 15 and at diametrically opposite points thereof arerecesses, one wall 17 of each of which lies diametrically of the diskand forms a pressure-receiving pistonhead, and from the base of thiswall the other wall 18 of the recess is convex and curves outwardlygradually to the periphery of the disk at a point ninety degrees fromthe wall 17. There are in the present instance two of these recesses,and the two disks 14 and 15 are so disposed that the walls 17 of the twodisks are spaced ninety degrees apart. Thus if steam be supplied to thewall 17 that is, a piston-headof one disk and then to the succeedinghead of the other disk, and so on throughout the rotation of the piston,there will be four applications of steam for the one rotation of thepistontwo to each disk. To thus supply steam to the separate heads, avalve mechanism is provided, which will be presently explained. Inconnection with each disk 14 and 15 there is provided a pivoted abutmentin the form of a wing 20 and 21, respectively, which operate in chambers22 and 23, formed by widening the interspaces between the flange 13 andthe heads of the cylinder, and which chambers also extend into the innerface of the cylinder-shell, and in the latter portions of the chambersare disposed the pivot-rods 24 and 25, on which the wings are hung, sotheir lower edges may rest upon the peripheries of their respectivedisks l4 and 15. The faces of the heads 17 are all disposed in the samedirection rotatably of the piston, and as the piston rotates the wingsor abutments ride along the peripheries of their respective disks anddrop from the upper edges of the heads 17 against the walls 18, alongwhich they ride and are gradually raised to the peripheries of theirrespective disks.

Upon the cylinder 5 and at the upper side thereof is disposed asteam-chest26,and opening from this chest through the shell of thecylinder are two ports 27 and 28 for-feeding steam into the cylinder,these ports being disposed beyond the abutments, so that steam will besupplied between the abutments and the piston-heads to rotate thepiston. To open and close the ports interchangeably, so that there willbe a proper delivery of steam to the cylinder, a slide-valve 29 isprovided in the steam-chest, and which valve must of course make tworeciprocations for each ro tation of the piston, and to give these tworeciprocations a disk 30 is fixed upon the piston-shaft and has acam-groove 31 therein, in which is engaged a roller 32 at the end of twodisks alternately and that'the ahutments will rise and fall to codperatewith the piston-heads, and atapoint somewhat more than *ninetydegreesfrom the steam-chest in the direction of rotation of the piston is anexhanst'pipe 40, which communicates with the i cylinderat both sides ofthe flange hat is'claimed'is I 1 1. 'A rotary engine comprisingacylinder havingacentralinwardly-directed flange and a steam chestcommunicating with thecompartments at opposite sides of the'partition, apiston disposed in the cylinder and including spaced disks lyingin theseparate compart-v ments and projecting beyond the inner periphery ofthe flange and an intermediate disk in close contact with the innerperiphery of Y the flange, the firstnamed disks havingheads disposed instaggered relation, and a pivoted ahutmentin each compartment inoperative relation to the disks therein. I

2. A rotary'engine comprising acylinder having a centralinwardly-directed flange and a steam-chest communicating with thecompartments at opposite sides thereof,a piston disposed in the cylinderand comprising a central diskin close contact with the inner peripheryof the flange and outer disks lying 'with'their outer portionsbetweenthefiange and the ends of the cylinder, said last-named disks havingheads disposed in staggered relation, a pivoted abutment in eachcomparte, e

ment in operative relation to the disk there-' in, a valve in thesteam-chest for directing steam to the compartments alternately, and

connections between the piston'and valve for operating the latter. t

' In testimony;thatlclaimthe foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JONATHAN KEITH.

lVitnesses:

W. O. TRAYLOR, J. E. TAYLOR.

